The Other Side of the Tale
by Anareris
Summary: What if there were more than one side to the same story? What prompted Percy Weasley to leave his family? The famous Weasley fight seen from Percy's POV.


Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Anything you recognize: characters, dialogues, etc. belong to J.K. Rowling.

After reading many, many fanfics this is my first story and I wanted to try my hand at writing a 'oneshot' of the Weasley fight from Percy´s point of view. I apologise beforehand for any grammar mistakes as I am not a native English speaker.

Normally red curly hair was now plastered to my face as I stood in the garden in front of my home or as others called it – the Burrow.

Why was I soaking from the summer storm instead of coming in? You would ask. Well, I have news, great news actually, but I don't know how the rest of my family would take them. I found myself quite excited and relieved about the outcome of my early meeting with the Minister, but as I get nearer my childhood home I find myself faltering, becoming more insecure with each step. Surely they would understand what a great success in my career this is. Not even Fred and George could take a dig at me this time, could they? No- they are my family and I am sure my parents would be proud, after all they were worried themselves how this would end after Crouch's fiasco.

 _After passing all ministry security procedures I headed towards floor three, one of the smallest courtrooms in the MLE, where I was been summoned after Mr. Crouch disappearance during the Triwizard Tournament. The waiting was excruciating, I kept nervously fussing with my robes collar while I continuously rehearsed my speech in my head._

" _Mr. Percival Weasley," a high-pitched female voice called from the next door._

 _I strode forward, pulling my confidence from gods knows where, as I approached the few members of the Winzengamot that where congregated for my case._

" _Mr. Weasley, please sit down and let's start," the plump, short woman dressed in pink with a sickly sweet smile said. She was sitting to the Minister's right so I assumed she was the new Senior Undersecretary, Madam Dolores Umbridge._

" _I suppose that you already know why you are here, Mr. Weasley," Minister Fudge stated with a pleasant smile._

 _His relaxed and approachable demeanor was confusing and I found myself a bit side-tracked as I was prepared to start pleading my case right away and here he was speaking to me as I was a colleague. I gulped and recited. "Yes, Sir. I am being summoned due to my negligence in Mr. Crouch disappearance during the Triwizard Tournament"._

 _Minister Fudge chuckled quite amicably, which threw me off completely. "Mr. Weasley, we don't consider your working relationship with Mr. Crouch as negligence. On the contrary, we think it is necessary to compliment your work ethic, as you undertook all Mr. Crouch' s work while he was disappeared."_

" _Minister Fudge, I…," I croaked. If I was confused before, now I was completely dumfounded. I expected all possibilities like getting a fine, being fired or even ending in Azkaban but it never crossed my mind that I would receive praise._

 _The Minister continued. "That is why we decided that your skills would be more fitted for another job. Tell me Mr. Weasley, what would you think of being the new Junior Assistant to the Minister for Magic?"_

 _The shock must have shown in my face but then I schooled my features and tried to answer as confidently as possible. "Thank you, Sir. It would be an honour"._

" _Excellent! Madam Umbridge will owl you the rest of the details and I expect you on Monday at 8 a.m. sharp," Fudge said quite cheerfully, gesturing to the Senior Undersecretary. He added "This session is concluded, you may go Mr. Weasley."_

 _I exited the Ministry like in a trance, once outside I didn't even notice the rain that was soaking me wet. Junior Assistant to the Minister for Magic. I didn't know what to think. The first thing that I felt was relief because I wasn't going to get punished, then surprise that someone so young as me has gotten promoted to such a high ranking position within the Ministry, suddenly I was overcome with joy and excitement. Someone finally could see my worth, I was been recognized for my hard-work, I was doing something that none of my brothers has already done without anyone's help. Me, the dull, bookish and antisocial Weasley. The need to tell someone was overwhelming, so I reached for my wand and with that thought in mind I apparated home._

Shaking my head, trying to expel the negative thoughts, I readjusted my glasses and trying to recall the confidence I was feeling before, I entered the Burrow.

The place was bustling with noise as it was nearly dinner time and everyone has come home this summer, even Charlie was home this month. "Mum, I'm home," I said with a grin on my face. My mother, who was setting down the plates, looked up and came to hug me.

"Percy! How did your meeting go?" my mother asked quite concerned and frowned when she saw me all wet. With a flick of her wand while shaking her head I was dry in a jiffy. "You boys will never learn," she sighed while I was hanging my coat. "Wait, we are about to start eating you can tell us all about it. Everyone, dinner is ready!" My mother yelled while she ran to the kitchen to bring the meal.

One by one, my brothers and sister descended the stairs while I sat at my usual place. Watching while all of them chatted and settled at the table, I realized that I always thought of them in pairs: Bill and Charlie, Fred and George, Ron and Ginny, while I found myself a bit of an outsider, always the loner. I dispelled that thought as I had good news and I didn't want anything to ruin my good mood.

"Hey, Perce! You seem in a good mood, care to tell as what's making you smile like that?" Charlie asked with a grin.

"Well, I was…" I tried to said, still grinning like a fool. However, I was interrupted.

"Oi Charlie! Didn't you know? Prefect Percy has found a girlfriend at last!" George laughed while Fred snickered. Ginny was trying not to smile at the joke. "Boys! That was uncalled for."

I was gritting my teeth and trying not to retort to the jab when my father came through the front door. "Family, I'm home! Molly that smells delicious dear," my father greeted. Everyone chorused their greetings and started serving themselves.

"Arthur I was worried, I didn't know you'll be late," my mother said. "Come on sit down, Percy was going to tell as how it went this afternoon."

"Well Percy, how did it go?" my father said, frowning at the thought that something went wrong.

A huge grin split my face and I puffed out a bit as I exclaimed " I have great news! I am being promoted!" I looked around as everyone fell silent. "I am the new Junior Assistant to the Minister".

"What..?"

"That's not…"

Everyone started talking at the same time, but in all of their expressions I couldn't find what I was looking for, what I was expecting. There was only wariness and suspicion.

"Percy, that's great darling," my mother said, always the peacemaker.

"Those are great news, son. But don´t you find it …. too good to be true?" my father interjected with a grim expression. "How can be possible such a promotion?"

"What do you mean with _how can it be possible_! I have worked very hard this whole year and they are rewarding me for that effort!" I exclaimed. I couldn't believe my ears! Instead of celebrating with me they were questioning my capability. I was seething; after all the sacrifices, the dirty work and the anxiousness of being summoned for questioning and they couldn't even be happy for me.

"Percy, don't you see it is a bit convenient that…" my father placated.

"Yeah, Perce come on, how much ass-kissing did you have to do…" Fred interrupted.

That just nailed it.

I could hear my mother reprimanding Fred and George in the background, but all I could think of was how they never took me seriously, how I was always being mocked for taking things seriously and working hard and how tired I was of it all.

"How dare you! I got this job with my hard work and I won't let you ruin it for me!"

"Percy, don't you understand!? Don't you remember what Harry and Dumbledore said at the end of last year about Voldemort's return?!"

"Are you really going to believe the word of that old coot and a traumatized fourteen-year-old?"

"Don´t talk about Dumbledore like that!" my father exclaimed as he abruptly stood up in anger.

"I will say what I like of man that only wants to create panic and destabilize this country!

"Percy, use your head! They gave you the job because of your family connections,"

"Family connections that's rich coming from you," I spat out. At this point I didn't care anymore. Only rage and pain were fueling my words.

"What the hell does that mean?"

"I mean that my supposed _family connections_ to you just hindered my career in the ministry, that your lack of ambition and fooling around with muggle toys just made my life ten times more difficult. The Weasley name is laughed at in the ministry and who do you think is to blame?!" I ranted.

"Don't talk to me like that! I am your father!" my father said as he slammed his hand on the table.

"Percy, Arthur that is enough!" my mother exclaimed.

"Well you know what, Father? I don't care what you say. You should be happy that I got a promotion on my own, not thanks to you but in spite of you." I saw the hurt in my father's face turning into anger, but I couldn't back down now.

"That promotion is tainted Percy! I didn't raise you like that. I am ashamed that my own son would accept something like that. Fudge is just using you to spy on Dumbledore and then he will throw you to the dogs. I won't allow it."

"Well guess what! I am of age and you can't tell me what to do with my life. It is you who are wrong but like always never listen to me," I cried out. Suddenly, I heard a light bulb explode with the pent-up magic.

"For being of age you are acting like three year old! Grow up, you are no longer in school. For once in your life forget about your books and your own image and face the real world." My father kept going.

Those words felt like a slap in the face. How could he? He just threw at me what I have been laughed at my whole life. My brothers, my sister, my friends, my colleagues and now him. My own father. Without thinking I lashed out. "Me, _me_! You are the one that doesn't want to face reality! The one who doesn't see his children being mocked for their name, their hand-me-downs and their crumbling house! You who follow Dumbledore's deranged ideas like sheep!" Taking a breath, I said with finality. "I want to make a career for myself and you won't stop me."

The man before me adopted an authoritative posture I have never seen in him before. "Turn down that job, Percival. I am your father and as long as you live under my roof you will abide by my rules."

"Fine then, I will find another _roof_ and I won't be here to say _I told you so_ when your blind faith in that man fails you." With that I wiped out my wand and summoned a bag from my room. Grabbing the bag in midair, I strode to the door and without a last glance I disapparated with a loud crack.

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I stumbled and felt to my knees. I didn´t know where I was, everything was in a haze, and I could care less. Digging my fingers into the dirt I stared upon the landscape while their words kept replaying in my head.

 _How can be possible such a promotion…_

 _How much ass-kissing did you have to do…_

 _I am ashamed that my own son…_

 _For once in your life forget about your books and your own image and face the real world…_

Gritting my teeth I tried to squish the rage inside me, but it was too much, too many times the same things thrown to my face my whole life. Oh god, I felt so betrayed, so humiliated. If my own family couldn´t see my worth…

With a shaky breath I slowly stood up. No, I won´t let them step on me anymore, they obviously don´t care enough about me to see how much I wanted this opportunity, how much I worked for it. After everything, I thought that if there were someone you could completely rely on, it would be your family, but… I was wrong.

Trust no one.

But what about Dumbledore´s claims? Could Voldemort have really returned? Just the thought of the possibility filled me with dread.

No, no, no…. it is not possible. Fudge and the Ministry would have corroborated it and made an official statement about it. Dumbledore had made grave errors of judgment before, remember the Philosopher stone? What makes Dumbledore´s claims foolproof and all-mighty? However, he also has an even greater way with words. Very persuasive and manipulative, that he is. And he is taking my family down with him.

There is no way in this world that they will hear me out. I snorted to myself. Yeah… since when has my family heard out my advice or anything I had to say for that matter, after all I am only _Prefect Percy,_ their snotty and pompous brother and son.

Shaking my head in disgust, I looked around trying to pinpoint where I ended up. It was a miracle that I haven't splinched myself in the state of mind that I was.

Familiar oak trees surrounded the clearing that I have apparated in. So close to home, I didn't travel more than a mile away, near Putts Corner. I still remember when my brothers, my father and I came here camping before starting Hogwarts. This was my favorite place. But those days were in the past.

Putting my somber thoughts aside, I tried to remind myself that I had a job to be proud of and that I still needed to find a place to stay. It was not the time for moping. With one last glance around, I apparated away with a goal in mind.


End file.
